From another veteran - base layer of some kind of poly - crash pants & snowboard pants. cool - bball shorts over crash pants. cold - sweat pants cut off right below the knee then snowboard pants. They sit above the boots and out of the way. Too warm? - open the vents.

Personally I think those are just a waste. I started snowboarding last year at 29, and I am moderately athletic. Needless to say my ass was fine, and same with my wrists. The warning I always heard was your first few days your going to kill you ass and your wrists, neither were true for me. I saw your other thread and you sound way more naturally athletic than I was and far more in shape. The number one thing I can say is lessons, I took 3 lessons last season. My very first day, my second day, and like my 7th. Maybe it was the lessons that kept me off my ass. Either way, don't think I would worry about too much as your probably only going to wear them for 2 days then say fuck it.

........Then again maybe it was the super deep pow we had last year that saved my ass!

Try landing on your ass on a box or rail and tell me you don't want some extra protection. Or landing on a chunk of ice at the end of one.
I finally got a set of impact shorts this year and am planning to just wear compression shorts under them. Tried them on like that and threw on a pair of my pants and it was comfortable. I rarely wear base layers in general because I get hot easily tho.

Edit:

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonerider

There are those who say if you aren't falling on your butt you aren't trying hard enough But those people probably aren't in there 30's have have to go the work the next day

I think of it like a seat belt, 99% of the time you don't need it... but fall with that one time you do need it and it's a day ending, potentially season ending injury.

Im 27 (28 next month) and I generally agree with that philosiphy. I feel if I'm not falling I'm not trying anyhing new or progressing. Now I'm not saying I'm hucking myself off huge jumps and shit like that I keep within myself, but lumps on the ass and little shit like that happen.

It really comes down to more of what you want to ride. If you are just burnin groomers or riding pow then I agree pads aren't really needed, but if you want to ride in the park I'd recommend them. It definitely won't hurt to have them, but it can hurt not to

I'm actually a pretty big fan of my crash pads as a couple years back at the end of my first year I took a fall onto some ice and broke my tailbone. I was barely even moving, just came off the chairs and someone was down in front of me so I tried to turn and just kinda tipped over. Landed rear first on some ice and it was all over. Took 16 months before it stopped hurting permanently - but having the crash pads last year I went down hard a couple times on my tail and was able to pop right back up. They may be a pain to wear, but it beats the alternative for me.

what would be better more comfortable in your experience:
A: Under Armour cold gear leggings under the shorts?
B: Looser fleece mid-weight pants over the shorts?
Is there a "C" option that I'm missing?

Hey. I own the older demon hardtail shorts. I wear them without the hard plastic shields

Unless you want to wash them everyday, wear them over your base layer.

Admittedly, I do it the stupid way because I only have 2 sets of base layer pants:
I wear boxers, then base layer and THEN the padded shorts (on days that I wear them).

This is to ensure that my boxers absorb the brunt of swamp-crotch that a day of riding causes.

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